Coasting-register



W. ARTHUR.

COASTING REGISTER.

APPUCATION FILED APR. 3. 1918 RENEWED MAR. 13.1919.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I Elmawmtoz VVi'ZZz 'a flri'fiur;

- lmw THE coLUMa'lA W. ARTHUR.

COASTING REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. 1918. RENEWED MAR. 13.19l9.

1,319,454. Y Patented Oct. 21,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

amvamto'z WILLIAM ARTHUR, OF NEW'HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

COASTING-REGISTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application filed April 3, 1918, Serial No. 226,532. gRenewedMarch 13,1919. Serial No. 282,493.

ToaZZ whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ARTHUR, ,a

subject of the King of England, residing.

at New Haven, Connecticut, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Coasting-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatestocertain new and useful improvements in coasting registers, and pertains more particularly to a register employed in connection with electric cars.

The primary object of the invention is to motorman, and in such cases the motormans record of coasting time compared to the total time he has been on the car will not be a fair indication of his efliciency. An example will illustrate this. Suppose a motorinan has been on his car 10 hours one of which he has coasted 2 hours "and in addition'has suffered adelay of 2 hours. Ifhis coasting time is compared with the total time his coasting percentage becomes 5 x100: 20%; but when compared with the actual length of time the car has been operated becomes -X 100 25%. It is therefore highly important to be able to compare the coasting time with the actual running time. Accordingly, the present invention, briefly, proposes to employ a clock mechanism which is partially wound upon each brake application so as to render the clock active throughout the time of the longest-run of a car between stops. For example, if the time in running between the longest stops of the car is five minutes, then the clock is wound so as to remain active throughout such period, and to cease running or become inactive upon the expiration of such period, so that if the car is-delayed for any reason, the clock will stop, and will only be again restarted for a like period upon the next application of the brakes. By thismeans the clock mechanism isrunning only so long as the car is running plus the predetermined amount; and if the "ear stops running the clock mechanism automatically stops running after .the predetermined length of time has elapsed. In this way actual coasting time can be fairly computed as compared with actual running time of the car.

In the drawings:

Figure l, is a front elevation of the invention showing the latter in a case with the front of thelatter removed;

Fig. 2, is a sectiontaken on line 2Q of Fig.1; and k Figs. 3 and 4,.are views in side elevation and partly in section, illustrating certain ofthe parts in different positions, other of the partsbeing omit-ted.

.In proceeding in accordance with the"'presentinvention, a case 1, is employed to which is secured a cylinder 2 connected to a pipe 3 leading from the air brake line of the car. A plunger or piston 4 reciprocates within the cylinder and has a stem 5 carrying spaced collars 6 and 7, the stem being suitably tensioned, for example, by means of a coil spring 8 bearing on the collar 7 and housed in a sleeve'9.

An electro-magnet .10 is mounted within the case 1, and attracts uponenergization, an armature 11 mountedon a hinged arm '12, the latterihaving a right angular part 13, formed with afoot 14:, while its upper end is free as indicated at 15 to provide a stop finger. A suitable clock-works or mechanism 15 is mounted in the case and-opcrates :a shaft 16 which has slight sliding movement, and which is tensioned by a coil spring 17', the shaft carrying-time registeringwheels 1-8 and a clutch member 19 on its end. T'hisclutch member 19 is for engage ment with a complementary clutch member 20 which latter is operatively connected to the coastingregistering wheels 21 and with the latter is mounted on a shaft 22 suitably journaled in bearings 23.

A shaft "24 located below and at right angles to the-shaft 16carries a-radial arm 25 for engagementwith the collar 6 and a second radial arm 26 for wiping engagement with the end 27 of the shaft 1 The means for winding the clockl5 embodies a dog ortrip 28 pivoted on the winding shaft 29 of the clockand having its end 30, arranged to lie in the path of movement of the collar 6, said end 30 in turn being in the path of movement of an arm 31 rigidly secured to the winding shaft 29 of the clock. Arm 31 is tensioned by a coil spring 32 and is limited in its down movement by a stop pin 33. Collar 7 carries a starting and stopping means in the form of a light spring 34 which bears on a brake wheel 35 mounted on the balance wheel shaft 36 of the clock.

In operation, when the brake is applied, the plunger l is moved upwardly causing the lower collar 6 to strike against the end 30 of the dog or trip 28, and the latter in turn strikes against the arm 31 moving the latter to partially wind the clock. This upward movement of the stem 5 of the plunger causes corresponding movement of the starting and stopping element 3 1-, effecting start ing of the clock. The stem in moving upwardly causes its collar 7 to wipe against the part 13 of the arm 12 and pass the latter whereupon the arm 12 will gravitate after passing of the collar 7, and will engage beneath the collar holding the stem in the position of Fig. 3. The clock thus continues running or remains active, and through the shaft 16 actnates the time registering wheels 18. If now the motorman releases the brakes, the parts will still remain in the position of Fig. 3, and if he then throws the current on, the magnet being in a circuit 7 with the motor controller C in the circuit S of the latter, will be energized attracting the armature 11, and moving the end 15 of the part 13 of said arm out of its supporting engagement with the collar 6 whereupon the stem 5, under the impulse of the spring 8, will move the stem downwardly, but the stem will be prevented from making a complete down movement because the movement of the arm 12, has brought the foot 1 1 thereof to a position so as to engage and arrest the full or complete down movement of the plunger, as depicted in Fig. 1, of the drawings. The clock will consequently remain active and will continue movement of the time registering wheels 18.

hen the motorman throws his power oh the magnet 10 will be dcenergized, releasing the arm 12, and permitting the spring 8 to effect a complete down movement of the plunger stem, the parts being then in the position of Fig. 1. The car is now coasting and the coasting registering wheels 21, will be actuated, since upon complete down movement of the plunger,'collar 6 thereof strikes the arm 25, and the latter rocks the shaft 2%. The rocking of the shaft in turn causes corresponding movement of the arm 26 of said shaft thereby effecting wiping of arm 26 against the end 27 of the shaft 16, sliding the latter so as to cause its clutch member 19 to engage the clutch member 20 of the coasting registering wheels 21, and thereby actuating the latter to register the coasting time of the motorman.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that in order to obtain a coasting record, the motorman must have his brakes and power off, since the operation of the clutch to clutching position to actuate the coasting registering wheels 21, can only be effected when the parts are in the position of Fig. 1, in which the plunger is at the limit of its down movement. Also, since the clock is wound upon each application of the brake to insure its active state throughout the predetermined period between the longest run of a car between stops, it will be apparent that any delay in the car movements beyond such time, will bring the clock to a stop so that the per cent. of coasting based on actual run ning time of the car can be computed with fairness to the car motorman or operator. As long as the clock is active the shaft 16 connected to the clock will continue operation to indicate the running time of the car.

The device thus indicates the relation between the actual running time of the car and the coasting time by providing a constantly actuated time register which latter is rendered inactive upon any stoppage of unusual length of time for example, tie-ups, accidents and the like and a coasting register which operates only during actual coasting.

It will be understood that the term register comprehends a recorder or recorder printing mechanism as well.

If desired a valve 34: may be employed in the pipe 3, to shut off the air from the cylinder 2, in which event the clock must be maintained wound by manually winding with a key, so as to register power on only as compared with running time, but without the advantage of obtaining a reading of actual running time.

That is claimed is 1. In a coasting register, a time register, means to operate the time register, a coasting register, means controlled by the brake controller for storing a predetermined quantity of power in the first named means upon each application of the brakes to thereby render the time register active throughout a corresponding period and means controlled by the brake controller and by the motor controller for controlling the operation of the coasting register.

2. In a coasting register, a normally active time register, means for automatically effecting operation of said register at intervals throughout a predetermined period, a coasting register, and means controlled by the motor controller and by the brake con troller for controlling the operation of the coasting register.

3. In a coasting register, a time register,

' tion of the brakes to thereby render the time register active throughout a corresponding period, and means controlled by the brake controller and by the motor-"controller for controlling the operation of the selective means.

4. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a clock mechanism for operating said time register, means controlled by the brake controller for effecting partial Winding of the clock mechanism upon each operation of said controller, a coasting register, means for operating the coasting register by said clock mechanism, and means controlled by the brake controller and by the motor controller for controlling the operation of the coasting register.

5. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a clock mechanism for actuating the time register, a coasting register, a clutch between the time and coasting registers to operate the latter from the former, a plunger controlled by the brake controller, means controlled by the plunger for effecting partial winding of the clock mechanism upon each application of the brakes and for starting the clock, means for holding the plunger, against return movement following actuation thereof, means controlled by the motor controller for holding the plunger against a complete return movement following application of the power, and means controlled by the plunger for operating said clutch when the power is off and the brakes are off.

6. In a coasting register mechanism, a b71118 register, a clock mechanism for actuating the time register, a coasting register, means for operating the coasting register from the time register, a brake controller and a power controller, means operated by one of said controllers for automatically effecting partial winding of the clock, and means controlled by the brake and motor controllers for controlling the operation of the coasting register.

7. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a coasting register, a brake controller and a motor controller, means for automatically effecting operation of the time register throughout a predetermined period controlled by the application of one of said controllers, and means controlled by said controllers for controlling the operation of the coasting register.

8. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, means for effecting operation of said register at intervals throughout periods of predetermined length, a coasting register, and means controlled by the motor and brake controllers for controlling the coasting register.

9. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register,means for eflecting operation of said register at intervals throughout periods of predetermined length, a coasting register, means for operating the coasting register from the time register, and meats controlled by the motor and brake control lers for controlling the coasting register.

10. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a clock for operating same, means for effecting partial Winding of the clock at intervals to efiect correspondi 5'; operation of the time register throughout periods of predetermined lengths, a coast ing register, means for operating the con-fing register from the time register, and means controlled by the motor and brake controllers for controlling the coasting register;

11. In combination with the brake and motor controllers of a trolley car or the like, means to indicate the time consumed in making the run of the car, means to indicate the time during which the car coasts, means controlled by one of said controllers for effecting operation at intervals of said time indicating means for periods of predeternined lengths, and means controlled by the brake and motor controllers for controlling the coasting indicator.

v 12. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a coasting register, means between the two registers for effecting selective operation thereof simultaneously, an electro-magnet controlled by the motor controller, means controlled by the brake con: troller for effecting periodic operation of the time register throughout intervals of predetermined lengtl1s,.and means controlled by the electro-magnet and by the brake controller for controlling the operation of the selective means.

13. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a coasting register, means between the two registers for effecting selective operation thereof simultaneously, an electro-magnet controlled by the motor controller, a plunger controlled by the brake controller, means controlled by the plunger for effecting periodic operation of the time register throughout intervals of predeter= mined lengths, means controlled by the plunger for controlling the operation of said selective means, and means controlled by the electro-magnet for controlling the plunger so as to allow the latter to operate the selective means only when the power is off and the brakes are off.

14. In a coasting register mechanism, a time register, a coasting register, means between the tWo registers for effecting selective operation thereof simultaneously, means controlled by the brake controller for effecting periodic operation of the time register throughout intervals of predetermined lengths, energizable means controlled by the motor controller, means operated by the plunger to ellect operation of said selecmeans only when the power is OK and the brakes are off.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 15

WILLIAM ARTHUR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

said 10 

